


Walk With You

by The_Gay_Shakespeare (GroundZeroFirework)



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Byleth lives an obscenely long life, F/F, Reincarnation, Romance, Tragedy, not very dialogue heavy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:42:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23600269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GroundZeroFirework/pseuds/The_Gay_Shakespeare
Summary: Edelgard. Byleth didn’t know what it was about this girl or her name that drew her in but much to her surprise, she found that she didn’t care.Because for the first time in her short life, Byleth finally felt complete.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg & My Unit | Byleth, Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 7
Kudos: 166





	Walk With You

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, welcome to another Three Houses fic by yours truly. Just a heads up, this fic and its title was inspired by the comic "Walk With You" by @angerykacchan. I merely took some creative liberties to fill in the gaps between time skips but in the en this was all inspired by them. Here's a link to the art, if y'all wanna see it:
> 
> https://twitter.com/angerykacchan/status/1244584610530394114
> 
> Anyways, enjoy reading.

_ I had the good fortune to meet you... _

_ I will be here waiting for you... _

* * *

If anyone were to ask a normal citizen of Fodlan what occurred on the 29th of the Garland Moon in the year 1186, there would only be one answer. They would say it was the day, the month, and the year that Byleth Eisner, the current ruler of Fodlan, finally felled the Mad Emperor Edelgard von Hresvelg in battle, ending the war she started and bringing peace to Fodlan at long last. For any other citizen of Fodlan, it was a day to be celebrated and cherished.

For Byleth Eisner herself, however, the 29th of the Garland Moon in the year 1186 was the day her unbeating heart completely withered and died.

* * *

That day was one that she would never forget for the rest of her unnaturally long life. She and the Alliance army had been fighting long and hard for most of the day, having finally arrived in Enbarr and felled Hubert to get to the Imperial Palace where Edelgard was making her last stand. She had fought and killed alongside the students who sided with the Golden Deer to finally bring an end to Edelgard’s final supporters and after a while, Byleth finally came face to face with Edelgard herself.

After a few words, they started their fight. Like every battle Byleth has fought, it was long and tiring and bloody but with the aid of her students, she finally brought Edelgard to her knees. If Byleth were to close her eyes, she could still remember what Edelgard said when she was finally defeated.

“My teacher...claim your victory.” She had said in between tired pants as her wounds took a toll on her. “Strike me down...you must!”

The moment she said those words, Byleth couldn’t help but close her eyes and attempt to drown it out. It broke her heart to hear Edelgard implore her to strike her down as if she had accepted her death a long time ago. But she knew...she knew there was no other way.

She knew that she would have to kill Edelgard to end everything. And as much as she didn’t want to, Byleth knew that she would have to accept it. And so with a heavy heart, she approached and raised the Sword of the Creator on high and looked down at Edelgard one last time.

“I wanted...to walk with you…”

As soon as the words left her lips, Byleth brought the sword down and inflicted a grievous wound on the Emperor. But Byleth made a mistake; she had meant to make it a painless death but instead she missed and Edelgard fell to the ground in agony. But she didn’t scream...she didn’t cry…she didn’t do anything but lie there and wait for death to claim her instead. Byleth rolled her onto her back and stayed by her side as she felt tears begin to form in her eyes. Much to her astonishment, Edelgard chuckled at her as she spoke.

“My...teacher...please do not cry.” The Emperor said as she choked out blood. She raised a weak hand to wipe to the tears that Byleth didn’t even realize was falling on her cheeks. Gently, Byleth took that same hand in her own and held it as she felt Edelgard’s life gradually fade away.

“Maybe in another life we...can finally walk together.” She whispered. "Find me, my love, and I'll be waiting for you."

And that was it. With a sad and somber smile, Edelgard von Hresvelg, the last Emperor of the Adrestian Empire breathed her last. The hand that Byleth held eventually fell limp as she finally allowed the tears to fall from her eyes. And all she could think of was how none of this was right or fair.

Why did she have to lose everyone she ever loved?

What most people do not know was that during her time as a teacher five years ago, she and Edelgard had started a relationship with one another. Even if she was the Professor of the Golden Deer and Edelgard the leader of the Black Eagles. And until that fateful day in the Holy Mausoleum, they were happy. Edelgard made her feel things that she never really felt for anyone else before. She made her feel content at her place in the world.

She made her feel loved and Byleth loved her in return. And she thought that she could save her beloved El from whatever path she was put on by those who murdered her siblings.

But instead, she failed and all Edelgard got was a life full of hardship before being cruelly cut down by Byleth herself, who could do nothing but kneel next to her corpse as she shed silent tears while holding her lifeless hand. That was how Claude and the others found her not long after and eventually, they had to pull her away to meet the cheers of the people who were relieved to see this five year war come to an end.

But all Byleth could think about was how none of this was fair.

She wanted to walk with her too…

* * *

Barring the fight against Those Who Slither in the Dark and the resurrected Nemesis, the war was pretty much over after that and Byleth ascended the throne as the first leader of a United Fodlan. As expected, she played her part well; during the day, she met with a council of nobles to work with them to make Fodlan better than it used to be, trained with her soldiers to keep their skills and her own sharp, and made sure that those affected by war were taken care of.

At night, however, she was haunted by the woman she loved.

Byleth didn’t see Edelgard’s ghost or anything ridiculous like that but she was haunted by the memories they shared. And more often than not, she would find herself wishing to have Edelgard back with her. 

More than anything, she wanted to feel Edelgard’s love again.

There was a time in her life when she went to drastic measures just to try and feel it again. She could no longer count how many times the Chalice of Beginnings tempted her to try and bring her beloved El back from the dead. She even went as far as to hire whores to sleep with almost every night. Anything, just to replicate that love Edelgard so freely gave her. 

But no matter how many whores she slept with or how many times she contemplated using the chalice, Byleth knew that neither would bring Edelgard back to her. And before she knew it, Byleth became embittered. So much so in fact, that if it weren’t for the fact that she didn’t want Edelgard’s death to be in vain, she would’ve let Fodlan burn under her leadership.

So, Byleth became the leader everyone wanted her to be. She played her part in a role that she neither asked for nor wanted to have. And she was damn good at it for years. As the years passed by, however, she and many others noticed that she wasn’t aging and she didn’t need Rhea or Seteth to tell her that it was because of her fusion with Sothis. While they weren’t certain if she was immortal like they were, they did know that she was going to live an obscenely long life. Initially, Byleth had no qualms with that. Just like she had no qualms about everything.

But come thirty years into her reign, everything changed.

She had been on the search for a successor; someone worthy enough to take her throne upon her abdication. She had found that person in the daughter of a minor noble from the Alliance. The girl managed to meet every criteria in Byleth’s book: she was intelligent, knowledgeable in politics, quick in battle, compassionate, and she did not look down upon commoners despite her noble status. The girl was perfect and Byleth was more than happy to let her take her crown in five years time. But then, she posed a question that rocked Byleth to the core.

_ “What was Emperor Edelgard like?” _

At first, Byleth thought that the girl was asking her how she was as a ruler or her personality and while Byleth didn’t have a good grasp of the former, she did know much about the latter. And while she accepted her answers, the girl wanted to know more about her physically. Apparently, it was her side hobby to know as much as she can about the rulers from years past and that included their physical features.

Unfortunately, that was when Byleth’s problem reared its ugly head. For she could no longer remember much about her beloved’s features. No longer could Byleth remember what her laugh sounded like, how she smiled, not even the sound of her voice. Features that no portrait of Edelgard could ever replicate. Before she knew it, she had thrown a tantrum in her office, one that had sent her successor running for Seteth and Flayn. Immediately, the two came and worked to calm her down in the privacy of her room.

“Professor, you need to calm yourself.” Seteth requested, going so far as to revert to her old title. Before Byleth could throw another object at the wall, Flayn had daringly caught her arm, forcing her to look at her.

“Professor, please. You must stay calm and tell us what troubles you.” Flayn implored upon her. Finally, Byleth released her grasp on what she was holding and the pair led her to a chair to sit.

“What ails you, Byleth? Let us help.” Flayn said. After a moment’s hesitation, Byleth spoke as tears freely flowed from her eyes.

“I...I don’t remember much about her anymore.” Byleth admitted, never once losing that stoicism that she was known for. Seteth and Flayn straightened up immediately, realizing who it was that Byleth spoke up. After all, it was only a few years into her reign did Byleth admit that her first and, most likely, only love was the last Emperor of the Adrestian Empire herself. While it wasn’t an ideal match, especially considering when it happened, they both felt for her. She was going to have to live for a long time without her beloved, after all. Maybe she’ll even have to live forever without her.

“I don’t...I don’t remember her. I don’t have much of her and I don’t want to forget her. Why can’t I remember her?”

Unable to answer her, Flayn merely took the Queen of Fodlan into her embrace.

* * *

Just like that, Byleth's initial plan to abdicate after five years was reduced to two. She had settled her affairs and did everything she could before abdicating and leaving Fodlan in the hands of her successor and those who would come after her. Initially, she had retreated into a small lakeside cabin, able to do as she pleased once more. But as she soon found out, the quiet idyllic life was one she didn't want without her beloved El by her side. And so, eventually, she packed the essentials into a small pack and began to wander the world once again, just as she used to as a mercenary.

Like before, she did odd jobs for pay in places and with people who didn't know what the former Queen of Fodlan looked like. During her travels, she slept with whores and drank her way around taverns just to dull her senses and escape her memories for a few hours. Her travels took her to Albinea, Dagda, Sreng, Morfis, and even Almyra multiple times over. She never visited Brigid until the death of Petra and Dorothea's eldest, however. 

After the war ended, the pair immediately set sail for the archipelago and never looked back. Any negotiations for Brigid's independence were made through letters and intermediaries. Neither woman also even gave paying a visit a thought. Any updates about them that Byleth heard, she heard from their ambassador. Byleth had thought about visiting them but then she heard that they named their eldest daughter Edelgard and that pretty much killed any and all motivation for her to go. She didn’t want any more reminders of her, after all. So, until she was well past the age of 100, she didn’t go to Brigid.

That was pretty much how her life went for hundreds of years. Never staying in one place for too long. Always travelling. Always seeking some purpose in her otherwise empty life. Honestly, most of the time, it felt like the good old days when she was travelling with her father and his band of mercenaries. But other than that...she had nothing. Like she used to before she started teaching at the monastery. 

As she traveled, Byleth saw the world gradually change around her. She watched history itself be written and she knew what it said about her. She was a warrior, a hero, a loving mother to all of Fodlan. She had plenty of accolades and accomplishments that it was sometimes hard to keep track of. But honestly, Byleth was just tired of the life she was living. She wanted peace but no matter how much she tried she couldn’t find it.

A few years past what must’ve been her 500th year, however, Byleth was relieved when she began to feel the signs that the peace she craved was so close at hand.

It started gradually; just some small fatigue on some days but eventually, there were some days when no matter how much rest she got, she would still feel incredibly weak. Then the fevers started, then the coughing fits, then she began to vomit blood, and that was when Byleth knew.

She was finally going to die. Mortality wasn’t beyond her, after all. While most people would feel terrified at the prospect of facing their own death, Byleth was the opposite. For the first time in hundreds of years, she finally felt hopeful that she would see her loved ones again.

Instead of fearing death, Byleth felt relieved at the prospect of it.

Despite that, however, she didn’t want to die alone. So, she made arrangements with Seteth and Flayn to come visit her at her old lakeside cabin for a day of fishing. And luckily for her, they were eager to come. The moment they did, however, it became clear to them why she asked them to come. It was almost as if she was wearing a sign that advertised her pending doom. Still, none of them spoke of it and instead, they continued on as if nothing was about to happen. They pushed the boat that was more than enough to hold the three of them and they rowed to the middle of the lake to fish.

“So, how has Rhea been?” Byleth asked as she and Flayn cast their respective lines to draw in some fish.

“She’s doing well, I suppose. Lonely. But well, nonetheless.” Seteth admitted. “And you? How have you been?”

For a moment, Byleth hesitated but she knew they were expecting an answer.

“I’ve been travelling here and there. But...I’m dying...and I suppose this would be a nice place to die in. It won’t be long now” She said before breaking out into a coughing fit. One that had her spewing out blood after a few moments.

“Professor, here, take a drink.” Flayn said as she held out a canteen of water. With a grateful nod, Byleth took it and drank as much as she could, knowing that it’ll be the last drink she’ll ever have.

“Thank you, Flayn.” She said as she returned it to her.

“Have you...visited Edelgard yet?” Seteth asked. With a small smile, Byleth nodded.

“Yeah. I did. I told her all about my travels and I left a white rose garland on her grave. I told her I’ll be joining her soon. That I’ll find her someday.” She answered. No more words were spoken on the topic after that. After all, both father and daughter knew that Byleth had been waiting for hundreds of years for some way to be reunited with her beloved Edelgard. In a way, they were both relieved that she was finally going to die; it meant that she would finally be with her beloved again, after all.

“This is nice.” Byleth said with a small, serene smile on her face. “It reminds me of that time in Garreg Mach when we held the fishing tournament. Just like it was yesterday.”

Once again, Byleth broke into a coughing fit. And when she was done, she looked weaker than she was before.

“I’m sorry the two of you have to see me like this.” Byleth weakly said with a humorless smile as she raised her head up once more. “But thank you for accompanying me for one last time.”

Unable to say anything, the pair merely nodded in acknowledgement.

“What date is it today?” Byleth quietly asked her. After some thinking, Flayn spoke up.

“It’s the 29th...of the Garland Moon in the year 1686.”

Ah...so it’s been that long. Byleth was impressed; she never thought she’d last 500 years without Edelgard. But life was funny like that, she guessed.

“Byleth…” Seteth called for her. She raised her head up and she was met with his kind and understanding gaze. “You can rest now. It’s alright.”

“We’ll be okay, Professor.” Flayn said as tears streamed down her face. “You can go to her now. It’s okay.”

“Yes...that would be nice.” Byleth said as she struggled to take a breath. “It would be nice to see her again.”

After a moment of silence, Byleth turned to face the lake, now reflecting the light from the setting sun. It was a nice view to die to. 

When she was travelling, she had dreams of a view like this sometimes. Dreams of long and happy life with Edelgard and their children that always ended with them retiring to a lakeside cabin like the one she owns. After a long day, her dreams always ended with the two of them watching the sun set and reflect on the lake near their home. Sothis knows how many times Byleth had begged to never wake up so she could stay with the love of her life in the dream. Byleth couldn’t help but pray to Sothis for one last time. Just to thank her for allowing her and Edelgard to meet in this life, even if they never did get their happy ending.

“Rest now, Byleth.” Seteth gently whispered to her. “Rest and go to her. And...I pray that the two of you meet again under friendlier skies.”

It was the year 1686 on the 29th day of the Garland Moon. And on that day, 500 years after the war that united Fodlan was won...500 years after she lost her beloved...death finally claimed Byleth Eisner, the first Queen of the United Fodlan.

Most people were terrified at the prospect of facing their own deaths, Byleth merely closed her eyes, smiled, and welcomed it. During her last moments, there was only one thought in her mind before the abyss completely consumed her.

_ “El...I’ll find you…” _

* * *

_ 500 Years Later _

* * *

It was the 29th of the Garland Moon in the year 2186 and Garreg Mach University was bustling with activity. After all, it’s the millenium anniversary of the day Fodlan was united as one so the University was celebrating it, just like the rest of the continent was. As she stepped out of her car, one student, a teal haired girl, was clearly excited for whatever the day was going to bring.

Apart from being the millenium festival, the 29th of the Garland Moon was also the university’s first day of classes and she was more than happy to show the poor lost lambs around the campus if needed. So, she walked out of the parking lot and onto the familiar roads of the campus. Thankfully, their university wasn’t based on the monastery in the mountains. But rather, the university, under the patronage of said monastery, was built in the nearby city instead with some of the rooms even taking the names of the classes from the old Officer’s Academy.

As expected of the day, seniors and freshmen alike were walking around campus to enjoy what the celebration has to offer. Food and game stands were scattered here and there for their amusement and refreshment after all. No surprise there as the first day of classes were usually just an introduction to the course, allowing everyone to have more time to have fun instead of diving into their studies. As she walked, the teal haired girl felt someone bump into her and she was more than ready to spew out a litany of apologies to them.

But the moment she saw the person she bumped into, the words died in her mouth and she was, for the lack of a better word, mesmerized.

All her life, she’s always gone with the flow, accepting everything for what they are. At times, she could tell that it actually worried her parents as they felt she wasn’t making a real connection with anyone. But honestly, she just didn’t want to admit to them that for a while now, she’s been feeling incomplete. As if she needs to look for something or someone to feel whole again.

But this person, this beautiful woman with soft brown hair and gentle lilac eyes, who bumped into her just now made her feel things that she’s never felt before. Her heart began to beat wildly in her chest. But before she could think more of it, though, she noticed the map the girl was holding in her hands and everything dawned on her immediately.

“Oh! Freshman? You lost?” The teal haired girl asked her with a gentle and welcoming smile. It seems the brunette before her was lost in thought as well as she quickly shook her head and smiled at her before speaking.

“Oh...yes.” She replied, her lips forming a nervous smile.

“Well, where is your first class? Can I see?” She asked as she took a peek at the paperwork in the girl’s hands. “Ah, at the Black Eagles Room? It’s not far. I’ll walk you there.”

Fearing that her companion will be lost in the sea of people loitering around campus, the teal haired girl punctuated her offer by holding out her hand.

“There’s a lot of people right now because of the millenium anniversary and I’d hate for you to get lost so…”

Despite her initial apprehension, the girl eventually gave her a small smile and a nod before taking her hand in her own, allowing herself to fall into step with the teal haired girl.

“I’m Byleth, by the way.” The girl with teal hair said with a gentle smile.

“I’m Edelgard.” The brunette greeted with the most beautiful smile Byleth had ever seen. “It’s nice to meet you.

Edelgard. Byleth didn’t know what it was about this girl or her name that drew her in but much to her surprise, she found that she didn’t care.

Because for the first time in her short life, Byleth finally felt complete.

* * *

_ They have met each other again at last… _

_ This love is forever. _

**Author's Note:**

> Oh my god, that was longer than I expected. By the way, bonus to those who can tell me where I got the sentences a the start and end of this fic. Anyways, I hope y'all still enjoyed reading it. Leave a comment and kudos on your way out. I appreciate it.


End file.
